POTIONS FOR BEGINNERS

LESSON #1 - INTRODUCTIONS AND TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Welcome to your first Potions lesson. We will be learning throughout this lesson the many different items needed to assist us in making a Potion. These tools will not just include a cauldron and scales. We will be looking at many wonderful, helpful and absolutely necessary materials that can lead us to a successfully made Potion.

First lets define what a Potion is. Muggles have what they call a dictionary that tells them the meaning of words. I thought it would be fun to see what their tiny minds had to say about their definition, of what a Potion is. According to some fellow by the name of Webster this is what they believe, potion - n. - a drink, as of medicine or poison.

Well, I am sure Potion Masters like Horace Slughorn and Severus Snape would disagree. Potions are much more than a simple medicine or poison. First and foremost Potion making can be complicated, complex, tricky, strange, dangerous and disastrous. Following directions exactly can, in most cases, produce excellent and safe results. Using the correct equipment is one of the first steps.

The GOAL of this class will be to guide you, with each lesson, in the right direction in procuring a properly made Potion. So, have your quill, ink and parchment ready because we are now on to the Tools of the Trade.

We know from Harry Potter's letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that he was required to purchase a cauldron. This cauldron had to be made of pewter. We also learned that cauldrons came in different sizes, as Harry was to purchase a “SIZE 2 PEWTER" cauldron. A student could also find for sale in the Diagon Alley shop self-stirring cauldrons and collapsible cauldrons as well as ones made of iron.

Percy Weasley let Fred and George know that having a cauldron with an improper thickness was a danger to all wizards and witches. Brass Scales were on the list. Every student would soon learn how important the weighing of each potion ingredient needed to be to create the perfect results. Daily cleaning and polishing of these brass scales were a requirement and part of the students education.

Glass phials were mentioned in the letter as well. The students, once they had attended a few Potion classes, were most likely introduced to glass boiling flasks, beakers, beaker lids, test tubes, cylinders, funnels, burets, glass stirring rods and transfer pipets. Most of these glass items would be heat resistant, capable of holding acids or dangerous liquids and resistant to breakage.

A Potions class would never be without measuring spoons, measuring cups, wooden cutting boards, wooden spoons, sharp knives, silver knives, both large and small mortar and pestles, wooden test tube racks, small hour glasses to keep track of time, different sizes of strainers both large and small and glass bottles with stoppers of various sizes.

Upon entering a Potions classroom, students would expect to see long hard wooden work benches capable of holding many heavy cauldrons, ingredients and their tools. Wooden stools would be used to sit on. A blackboard for the professor to write instructions would be at the front of the room. Note books, quills and ink bottles to write down each potions ingredients and instructions on how to create it. You would have your very own “properly working wand” with you in order to help create your potions and clean up any accident spills.

Lastly fire would be used to either brew, steam, simmered or boil your potion ingredients to stirred and timed perfection.

Well, I think I have covered most everything a young wizarding Potion student would encounter in a Potions Class. I hope you have enjoyed the first lesson and now on to HOMEWORK #1 and EXTRA CREDIT #1.